Mechanical starter for internal-combustion engines.



R. DRE SSMANN.

MBGHANIOAL STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1913.

1,1 1 2,898. Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHET 1.

R. DRESSMANN.

MECHANICAL STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1913.

1,112,898 Patented 0ct.6,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROBERT DRESSMANN, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY MECHANICAL STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

Application filed September 29, 1913. Serial No. 792,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT DRnssMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Starters for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for rotating the engine shaft particularly for gas engines as used in automobiles in starting the engine in which the shaft is actuated by a spring and provision is made to rewind the spring by means of the engine shaft as it is driven by the engine.

The invention consists of that certain novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed, in which the several features and the various advantages resulting 'from their use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the rewinding gear omitted. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the friction clutch. Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation, partly in section, of the clutch for connecting the rewinding' gears to the engine shaft. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the operating levers.

The starting mechanism is mounted in the frame 1, provided with supports 2, 2, in which is mounted the starting shaft 3 located in axial alinemcnt with the engine crank shaft This engine shaft carries a clutch member 5, secured thereto, arranged to be engaged by the opposite clutch member 6 having a keyway to ride on the key 7 on the starting shaft 3. so that the clutch 6 can be longitudinally shifted on the shaft 3 to couple or uncouple the two shafts. This clutch 6 is shifted by the lever 8 pivoted on 13 one end of a powerful band spring 14, the

opposite end of which is secured to a lug 15 mounted on the frame. This loose gear carries on its opposite side face a pawl 16 which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 17 secured to the starting shaft 3. The

teeth of the ratchet are arranged so that the pawl will engage the teeth when the gear is turned in the direction of the normal forward rotation of the engine shaft. The outer face of the hub 13 of the gear 12 is provided with clutch teeth to be engaged by corresponding teeth on a sliding clutch collar 18 which is keyed to slide on the stud shaft 19 in alinemcnt with the starting shaft 3, one end having its bearing in the hub 13 and the other being square and mounted in the standard 2. A coiled spring 20 bears between the collar 18 and the frame to hold the clutch collar in engagement with the gear to prevent the spring from-unwinding. The collar 18 is shifted against the pressure of the coiled spring by a lever 21 coupled to the band 22 on this collar, and this lever 21 is pivoted on the bracket 9 and actuated by hand lever 23 coupled on its outer end.

When the spring is wound up and the collar 18 shiftedto release the spring, the pawl on the gear 12 will engage the ratchet 17 and the starting shaft 3 will be rotated in the direction of the normal forward rotation of the engine shaft, and with the clutch members 5, 6, in engagement the engine shaft will be rotated by the spring, thus starting the engine, and until the clutch 5, 6, is released the ratchet 12 will merely rotate under the pawl.

For rewinding the spring while the engine is running, I secure to the starting shaft 3 the collar 24 which is engaged by a split friction band 25 the ends of which 28 are bent outwardly and projected through a slot in the rim 26. The friction band is tightened 0r loosened by the bolt 27 engaging the projecting ends. The rim 26 has secured to it the mm 29, the inner periphery of which is engaged by the clutch members 30, 30, mounted each on its rod 31 extending through and mounted to rotate in the gear 32,- which gear is loosely mounted on the starting shaft. The inner side face of the gear is provided with lugs 33 which carry coiled springs 34: bearing each upon the end of its respective clutch member 30 to hold it normally against the rim 29 and thus to frictionally lock, the gear 32 to the rim. The outer ends of the rods 31 carry lugs 35 which project into the pathway of the collar 36loosely mounted on the shaft 3 and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the lugs 35 by the lever 37 pivoted on the bracket 9 and the outer end of which is coupled to the hand lever 38. When the. collar 36 is moved into engagement with the lugs 35 the rods 31 are rocked to withdraw the clutch members 30 from the rim 29 and thus to vreleasethe gear 32 from thefriction clutch. The gear 32 meshes with the pinion 39 on the shaft .40. This shaft is journaled in the supports 2,,parallel to and above the starting shaft.

In, line with the gear 12 on the starting shaft, the shaft 40 carries another pinion 41in mesh with an idler pinion 42 mounted ,on'fa stud projecting from the frame and this idler in turn is in mesh with the gear 'rewinding the starting spring by hand, the

shaft 40 is squared at its outer end 43 to receive a crank. By disconnecting the gear 32 from the friction clutch rims 26, 29, the

gear 12 can be rotated by the intermeshing.

'pinions 4:1, 42.

The operation of my starting mechanism I will be obvious from the foregoing description. The spring being wound and the clutch 5, 6, disconnected, the entire starting mechanism is disconnected. To

start the engine, the hand lever 10 connects the starting shaft and driving shaft and the gear 12 is released by the hand lever 23 the spring unwinds driving the ratchet 17 and rotating the engine shaft. As soon as the engine is started, the starting shaft is released from the driving shaft by shifting the clutch 6. Should the clutch 6 not be released, the ratchet 17 will merely rotate under the driving pawl. To rewind the driving spring the clutch 5, 6, is thrown in and with hand lever 38 the gear 32 is friction'ally coupled to the starting shaft, and thus rewinds the spring. As soon as the spring is fully wound, the main clutch 5, 6, is disconnected, but if this isnot done at once no harm can. result, the friction clutches will slip preventing the breaking of the actuating spring. .z

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a device of thecharacter specified, a casing, an engine shaft and a starting shaft adapted to be coupled thereto, a clutch device comprising two members adapted to engage when rotated in on'e'direction only, one

member secured to the starting shaft and the other loosely mounted thereon, a spring secured to the loosely mounted member and to the casing adapted to rotate same to drlve the tightly mounted member, a releasable friction clutch mounted on said starting shaft, and a train of gearing connectin the free member of the friction clutch wit the loosely mounted clutch member whereby the rotation of the engine shaft may rewind the actuating spring and releasable means for holding the loosely mounted member against rotation.

2. In a device'of the character specified, the combination with the engine shaft, of a starting shaft, means for con ling the two together, a pawl carrier-loose y-mountedpn the starting shaft and pawl thereon, with ratchet fixed to said shaft with which the pawl engages, a spring attached to the pawl carrier to rotate same and means for holding the spring under tension, a. friction clutch on said starting shaft and means for releasing the same with train of gearing connecting the clutch with the pawl carrier whereby the spring may be rewound by the engine shaft when the clutch is connected.

3. In a device of the character specified,

the combination with the engine shaft, of a starting shaft, means forcoupling the'two together, a pawl carrying ar loosely mounted on the starting she and pawl thereon, with ratchet fixed to said shaft. with which the pawl engages, a'spring attached to the pawl carrying'gear to'rotate same-and means for holding the spring under tension, a friction clutch on said starting shaftwith train of gearing connecting the clutch with the pawl carrying gear whereby the spring may-be rewound by the engine shaft when the clutch is connected and means for engaging the friction clutch for the purpose described. a v

4. In a'device of the character specified, an en 'ne shaft, a starting shaft in alinement t erewith, clutchto couple the two together, spring for rotating the shafts when connected, with means connected to the ratchet device to hold the same against rotation, friction clutch on the starting shaft and train of gearing to rewind said spring, the pawl arrangedto engage the ratchetto rotate the" pawl and ratchet device to transmit the actlon ofthe spring thereto,

shaft in the forward direction and the train of gearing arranged to rewind the s ring copies of this patent mavbe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. 0." 

